Reptiles, including lizards, regulate their body temperature through a process called thermoregulation. This process involves controlling their body temperature through their behavior and environment.
Reptiles are ectotherms, which means that their body temperature is regulated by their environment, rather than through internal metabolic processes like endotherms (mammals and birds). They rely on external heat sources, such as the sun, to warm their bodies and increase their metabolism. Conversely, they cool themselves down by moving to a cooler environment or by seeking shade.
Lizards use a combination of behavioral and physiological mechanisms to regulate their body temperature. They can bask in the sun to raise their body temperature, and they can retreat to the shade or burrow underground to cool down. Some lizards can also change the color of their skin to better absorb or reflect heat, helping to regulate their body temperature.
Overall, reptiles, including lizards, have developed a variety of adaptive mechanisms to regulate their body temperature and thrive in their respective environments.